American star tells Edinburgh TV Festival machines cannot land a punchline
Tina Fey, the American actress, writer and comedian best known for Saturday Night Live and 30 Rock, has dismissed the notion that artificial intelligence could ever replace human comedy writers.
Speaking on the closing day of the Edinburgh TV Festival, Fey told the audience: “AI can do all sorts of other terrifying things, like writing music, but so far, it’s unable to be funny.”
The BBC was present at the event where Fey, in conversation with Graham Norton, reflected on her career, her relationship with British comedy, and the enduring influence of Saturday Night Live.
Fey’s defining stint as Sarah Palin during the 2008 US election still looms large in her career. She admitted she was initially reluctant to return to Saturday Night Live for the impersonation, believing that other cast members, such as Kristen Wiig, could easily take on the role. But the resemblance proved irresistible.
For six weeks, her portrayal not only dominated American satire but also confused audiences abroad. “A French newspaper even ran a picture of me and Amy Poehler as Hillary Clinton, thinking we were the real people,” Fey recalled, adding that the frenzy only intensified when Palin herself appeared on the show.
Attention has now shifted to the UK’s forthcoming version of Saturday Night Live, announced earlier this year. Produced by Lorne Michaels, the creator of the US original, it has already stirred curiosity about whether the famously intense schedule of its American counterpart can translate across the Atlantic.
Norton expressed scepticism, suggesting British writers would balk at working through the night to deliver scripts for Wednesday read-throughs. Fey, however, reassured him: “Here’s a dirty secret. You don’t have to do it that way. You could start in the morning.”
In conversation with the BBC, Fey also revealed an unexpected political encounter. Following the end of 30 Rock, she received a call from NBC asking her to meet then-Prime Minister David Cameron, who was visiting New York.
“He was the current prime minister. Turned out all it was, was he wanted to meet me and say hi,” Fey said with amusement. Cameron, she recalled, encouraged her to visit the UK and inspire local writers to produce longer-running series. Fey, however, demurred, preferring the brevity of the Ricky Gervais model: “Remember that time I made 12 half-hours — that’s the lifestyle.”
Her influences, though, remain deeply tied to British humour. Fey spoke warmly of growing up with Monty Python and Benny Hill, and named Absolutely Fabulous and I May Destroy You among her favourite shows of the last 50 years. When asked about Scottish cinema, she did not hesitate: Local Hero.
Fey’s latest project, The Four Seasons, based on the 1981 film of the same name, has entered its second season. She described it as “an exercise in restraint,” noting that she urged her writers to keep characters grounded rather than excessively outrageous.
Now 55, she said her own stage of life provided ample inspiration. “Stuff can happen at that age, and some of it is terrible,” she quipped, prompting laughter from the Edinburgh audience.
Fey closed the session with a nod to her enduring collaboration with Amy Poehler. The pair are set to return to the UK with The Restless Leg, their live show chronicling a thirty-year friendship.
As for AI, Fey left no doubt. Computers may generate scripts, but they cannot replicate timing, instinct or the human absurdities that make comedy resonate. Or as she put it simply: “It’s just not funny.”
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